The Legend of Zelda: The Darkness Within
by TheLoneWolfe90
Summary: 14 long years have passed since Link left Hyrule, he has traveled through many lands, Holodrum, Termina; just to name a few. Haunted by his past, it seems that the darkness inside of him is growing, and growing...but at the age of 26, something pulled him home, back to her.
1. Chapter 1: Home At Last

_16 long years have passed since Link left Hyrule, he has traveled through many lands, Holodrum, Termina; just to name a few. Haunted by his past, it seems that the darkness inside of him is growing, and growing...but at the age of 26, something pulled him home, back to her._

Chapter 1: Home At Last

Through the mist of the Lost Woods, a lone horse with rider could be seen walking along. The horse was a lovely auburn with white mane and tail; the rider was a man in his mid twenties, he wore a green garb that was torn and battered from the countless days on the road, he stunk something fierce, even though he had bathed the creek, water would only do so much. His long blonde hair could use a trim, and he of course could use a shave, although through his journey's most of it had been peaceful, every night, something would whisper in his ear, it was inaudible but it was there. On the figures back was a bow, the quiver long empty, a shield; a shield polished so nice that it could reflect even the sun. And beneath that shield was a silver sword, slick and lean, and even now could probably cut through a piece of paper flawlessly. The horse stopped for a moment and whinned, she could see their destination, the lush green fields she at one point had called home.

"I see it Epona, we are home...Hyrule." The figure spoke, his voice foreign even to him. He spurred the horse on and soon they exited the Lost Wood. The figure atop the horse was none other then the infamous Hero of Time. He lead Epona into the direction of Kakariko, first he would find an inn, get a nice shave, maybe a trim of the hair, find a seamstress to sew his clothes back together, and get a nice hot bath, then... His eyes fell on the octagonal ranch that now hung in the centre of the field, it had grown bigger since then...and how was she? He wondered.

" 'Hoy traveler, welcome to the fine village of Kakariko." A guard said, Link waved him by aimlessly. Then he paused Epona.

"Times have changed since the last time I was here, where might a man find a hot bath, a warm bed, some good cooking, and a barber?" Link asked. The guard jogged up to the side of the horse.

"Well 'ya got Louise's Inn over there by the entrance to the graveyard she also serves up a hot meal around this time, and for a trim; I'd say Ole' Man Freathers is the best bet, he's over there by the entrance to Death Mountain." The guard said. Link nodded.

"Thanks, here for your trouble." He said reaching into his pocket and tossing the man a red rupee. The guard smiled.

"May good fortune smile upon you." The guard said. Link smirked at that words. Good fortune? For the years he had been gone, he had been married twice and both of his wives had caught a unknown disease so yet he still bared no children. Link guided his horse up to the inn and tired her up to the posts outside and then entered.

"And what can I do for you this fine morning?" The young woman said from the other side of the counter.

"How much for a room?" Link asked, his voice weak and weary. The young woman smiled.

"For a traveler like you, 25 rupees a night, how long will you be staying for?" She asked. Link counted out enough for two nights and left a little tip.

"Very well, here's your key, should I send a bucket of water and oats out to your horse?" She asked. Link nodded.

"If you would be so kind, she has only eaten apples for the past three days." He said. The lady smiled.

"Then it will be the best for her sir, your room is third room on the left, have a pleasant stay, oh and please, my ma is making a nice harty stew in the mess hall I reckon there will be some left." She said. Link nodded and headed to his room, it wasn't much, just a simple bed, chest for his clothes, a water basin and a mirror. He placed what clothes he had in the chest and walked over to basin, he rinsed the dirt off his beard and face and frowned in the mirror.

"Goddesses Eliza, if only you could see me now." He joked, mentioning his first wife. He decided to eat first then go get bathed up, so he headed to the mess hall.

Link ate his fill of the food given to him, then retreated to the bath hall, he stripped down to nothing and slid into the hot spring, sighing in relief as the warm water soothed his aching muscles. The land had changed since he had left, but he couldn't bare it anymore, the memories, being the only one aside from the six Sages who guarded every corner of Hyrule who remembered the tyrant known as Ganondorf. Link sighed as he reached over to the bar of soap and began to wash himself, as he cleansed himself of the dirty and the grime from the road he thought about all his adventures, starting with the obvious one, the one no one remembered, but him and the Sages. When he traveled through time itself to stop the tyranny of Ganondorf. Then when he was sent back to relive his childhood, he went off on Epona and got sucked into a conflict in the land of Termina, against an ancient deity named Majora.

Once he had defeated Majora, he decided not to return to Hyrule, at least here everyone remembered what had transpired, none had forgot, he met Eliza shortly after his 16 birthday, and by the age of 18 they were wed, however, ill fate seemed to follow Link wherever he went and Eliza fell ill to an unknown virus and died shortly after Link turned 19, he packed up and left Termina after that, he soon came across the land of Holodrum in need of a hero to overthrow the tyrant General Onox, after he succeeded, he once again was wed to a woman named Maria, by the age of 22, however, by the age of 24, she too fell to same unknown illness that had taken Eliza from him. And so in a depressed state, Link and Epona wandered for four years, until, just three weeks after his 26th birthday, something pulled him back here. Link finished his remembering and stood up grabbing a towel. He walked back to his room and found that there had been a fresh set of clothes laid out. He dressed, and gathered up his Heroes garb, and walked out to the receptionist.

"Do you know a tailor in town?" Link asked the young lady.

"Yes actually, I do some hemming and mending in my spare time." She said. Link smiled, the first smile since he had returned.

"I will pay you if you could hem these clothes, they mean the world to me, and I know they have been fixed many more times over the years, but I can't get rid of them." Link said handing them to her. She looked them over then smiled at him.

"Oh of course I can fix it, how about 30 rupees for a charge?" She asked. Link smiled back at her and nodded.

"That would be great, I will be back by lights out, I must go get a trim." He said.

"Take your time hun." She said winking at him, Link chuckled and walked out of the inn, he eyed Epona who at the current time was still eating her oats. He patted her side and she grunted in annoyance.

"Pig." Link scoffed as he walked off towards Old Man Freather's. As he walked into the building the bell chimed and a man in his last 40's walked from the back.

"Hello sir, what can I do for you this fine afternoon?" He asked as he led Link to a chair.

"I require a shave, and a cut of the hair." Link said as he sat down.

"Very well sir. Shall we start with the shave?" He said, Link nodded as the chair reclined back a little, he could feel the lather being placed on his beard and then heard the sharpening of the straight edge. The two men didn't speak during the shave, but it wasn't long until Link felt the hot towel on his on his face, he wiped off the remainder of the lather, as the chair was brought up right. He looked himself over, the beard that had once adorn his face was now gone, and if it wasn't for the long hair, it would look as though he had never left Holodrum. The old man took his scissors from the counter and began to trim away at the hair.

"So, if I may ask, what brings you here, business, pleasure?" Freather asked as he began to cut Link's shoulder length blonde hair.

"I'm not quite sure to be honest, I once lived here, but had to leave due to personal problems. But something has pulled me back." Link said. Freather chuckled at that.

"I see, well young sir, I request whilst you are here, should you ever need a trim or anything, you come to me." He said. Link smiled.

"Yes well, I don't know how long I'll be staying but thank you." Link said. The two talked for the ten minutes it took for the hair to be cut, and when Link looked at his reflection again, he looked like a new man, his hair was short, his bangs hung in his face just the way Eliza had hated, it was the only thing about Link she hated, but to him, he looked like he did when he first married Eliza. Link smiled and stood up.

"How much?" He asked. Old Man Freather thought about it and smiled.

"50, 25 a piece." He said. Link dug into his pouch and pulled out a purple and red rupee and he handed them to Freather.

"The 20 for your trouble. May you have many blessings." Link said. Freather smiled and pocketed the red rupee while putting the purple in a jar labeled "payments".

"May you have good fortune my friend." The old man said as Link headed for the door.

Link walked back to the Inn in silence, he still had a few hours till lights out, he smiled at began preparing Epona for a ride.

"Come on girl, we're going to go see an old friend." Link said as he climbed into the saddle. He turned her towards the exit of the village and headed out stopping at the guard.

"Sunset is when the gates close correct?" He asked. The guard nodded.

"Then I shall be back before then, Hiya!" Link spurred Epona into a trot towards Lon Lon Ranch. He was home at last...he was home. But in the back of his mind, he couldn't help but fear the reason why he was brought back here. As he rode to the centre of the field and to the ranch, in the deepest parts of his mind, a figure was forming, it just looked like a cocoon right now, but it was a figure non-the-less with piercing red eyes.

-TO BE CONTINUED-

Link – So I have an evil being festering in my brain

Wolfe – Yes sir!

Link – I hate you

Wolfe – Just do the outro!  
Link – Thank you for reading Wolfe's new pet project, he will try to get these out every weekend, hopefully saturday's, but he lives a busy life so please be patient. Anyway tune in Next Saturday for the next exciting instalment of The Legend of Zelda: The Shadows Within


	2. Chapter 2: Malon

Link: You're late!

Wolfe: I know I am so sorry, but my charger for my computer got fried, then I lost ALL my progress in this story when it finally died, and I just recently have my charger back.

Link: You sir, fail...

Wolfe:...remember I CONTROL YOU -evil laughter- I am after all the author of this story.

Link: -sighs- Just get to it.

Chapter 2: Malon

Link heard the neighing of horses as he and Epona entered the ranch; Epona whinned realizing she was home at long last; the Hero looked around, not a lot had changed in the 14 (A/N: I know in the summary I had 16 years, but I thought Link left when he was ten, but many of my friends say he was 12, so at age 26 that would be 14 years) or so years he had been gone.

"Easy girl." He said to Epona patting her mane and running his gloved hands through it. He pulled her reigns to the left and lead her towards the stable; where he saw...her...for the first time in fourteen years he saw her flowing red hair, as red as the flowing lava of Death Mountain. She turned, sensing someone behind her.

"Hello welcome to..." Her sentence was cut short as she saw the horse she had been friends with in her childhood, and atop that horse, a man she had thought was long dead.

"Link." She breathed as her heart skipped a beat. Link dismounted the chestnut mare he was riding and stood about three feet in front of her, his blonde hair blowing in the weak wind, he wasn't wearing the garb she was use to him seeing, hell if it hadn't of been for Epona she may not of recognized, yes, yes she would of, it was his eyes, piercing blue, like a wolf on a hunt. She smiled at him.

"You're home." She said jumping him and hugging him, Link was shocked for a moment, but then embraced her.

"Yes I am." Was all he said, Malon pulled away and smiled at him, but then that smile faded and she quickly slapped him across the face.

"OW what in the name of Farore was that for?" He asked as he rubbed his cheek.

"Fourteen years and no letters, you take my horse, into the forest, and vanish for fourteen years!" She yelled at him, Link began taking a few steps back, but soon found himself up against the wall of the farm house.

"Uh..." Link was usually quick on the response, being married twice made him such, but he was at a loss for words, he couldn't tell Malon that he had wanted to put that life behind him, the life of the Hero, he just couldn't. Malon opened her mouth to say more, but the door to the farm house opened up and a ten year old exited.

"Mother, I have finished the dishes...should I tend to the horses now?" He asked, not initially noticing Link standing there.

"Yes Virion; and take this mare to the stable and give her the finest oats we have. This poor thing looks like she hasn't eaten right in months." Malon said glaring at Link in a way that said '_What did you do to my horse._' As Link thought of something funny to say, he sensed something, someone, approaching from the corral.

"Who in the blazes are you, we weren't expecting company." A balding man, about twice Malon's age asked as he walked up, he put his arm around Malon as though he was claiming her, Link smirked on the inside, the man had every right to be jealous, for one, the fat bastard couldn't even probably lift half of what Link could lift, and that was without the Golden Gauntlet's; and secondly, not only was Link Malon's age, he could see a passion in her eyes when she looked at him, that wasn't in her eyes as she looked up at the fat drunkard.

"Honey this is an old childhood friend, remember Link, the one I told you about?" She asked, the man's eyes fell on Link as if sizing him up, Link had left his sword and shield at the Inn, and the way the man looked at him, made him uneasy.

"Yes, I just decided to swing by and let Malon know I was back in the Kingdom." Link said as he took a step forward and extended his hand. The man pondered for a moment, then took Link's hand in his own chubby one.

"Malon speaks highly of you; names Travon." He said. Link smiled a genuine smile.

"Well the pleasures all mine." The Hero of Time said.

"Well I would love to stay and chat, but I need to deliver this hay and milk to the Castle Town, before the draw bridge rises for the night. I will see you in the morning Malon." He said swooping in an placing a sloppy kiss on her lips. Then he left to do what he had to.

"What?" Malon asked, as Link just shook his head and entered the farm house signalling they needed to talk. Malon waved goodbye to Travon as he pulled past her, then after making sure he was out of sight, walked into the house to see Link sitting at the table.

"I couldn't wait for ever you know." Malon said. Link just scoffed.

"But him, Mal we are both 24, he has to be at least 40, not to mention he is fat, fatter then Talon ever was, he smells of the drink, and did I mention his age?" Link asked. Malon just stared at him.

"And what about you?! Link we promised each other when we got older we would be together, I waited until I was 18, then I moved on, you didn't come back. Why?!" Malon demanded tears in her eyes.

"You wouldn't understand..." Link said looking at the table.

"Wouldn't understand what?" Malon asked as she finally sat at the table.

"Do you remember the day that everyone found out that Ganondorf, King of the Gerudo, was planning to assassinate the King and seize the throne?" Link asked not looking at her. Malon nodded.

"Of course it was a major day in history for us." She said.

"I was the one that told the Royal Family." Link said, knowing that if he crossed the imaginary line there was no going back.

"Link, how could you of possibly done that?" Malon asked slightly shocked, and also a little bit ticked off that Link was still making up childish stories.

"Because I lived it once before, in an alternate future!" Link yelled slamming his hands down on the table. "After you and I met up here and you taught me Epona's song, I returned to Castle Town, but not before Zelda and her attendant Impa fled on horse back, that was when I first came face to face with Ganondorf." Link said taking a deep breathe before continuing.

"As she escaped, Zelda threw into the river, the Ocarina of Time..." At this Link produced the item from around his neck, since during his travels he had tied it to a string. "...With this I took the three Spiritual Stones, the Kokiri Emerald, the Goron Ruby, and the Zora Sapphire; to the Temple of Time. I then played the Song of Time and opened the Door of Time. I then pulled from the Pedestal of Time the Master Sword. With this sword I could slay Ganondorf and save Hyrule. But my body was sealed away in the Sacred Realm for seven years." Link paused a moment to let all this sink into Malon's head. Then he continued.

"When I awoke, I was seven years older, and I had to travel to all the corners of Hyrule, to awaken six ancient sages. After that mission was done I confronted Ganondorf, and I slayed him, but he took on another form, a monstrous form called Ganon. With Zelda's and the Sage's help, I sealed Ganondorf away in the Sacred Realm. But Zelda felt terrible for dragging me into all of this, and sent me back in time to relive my childhood, the only people who remembered the events, was myself, Zelda and the Sages. But I couldn't live with having flashbacks of the brutal stuff I had seen, and after Navi left me, since only Kokiri's can have a fairy and I am indeed a Hylian, I approached Zelda, using my search for Navi as an excuse for me running away, she returned to me the Ocarina of Time and then I came and got Epona from you, again using Navi as an excuse." Link said, he looked to Malon to tell her he was finally done, and she swallowed hard before speaking.

"So you ran away, instead of fighting it, you ran away?" She asked, more hurt then angry.

"I felt like I had no choice, no man should have to suffer what I did. It was too much." Link said softly looking down.

"Where did you go?" Malon asked.

"Ironically, the job of a Hero is never done, I ended up in a kingdom called Termina, and once there I was once again put into a battle throughout time. This time reliving the same three days over again, with only me and the Four Spirits of Termina, remembering anything. After I saved the four Spirits, I fought an evil spirit named Majora. I managed to slay him, and then after that I decided to stay in Termina." Link said.

"But why not come home?" Malon asked. Link smirked, for once in this story he could tell a good memory.

"I thought about it, but when I became 16, I fell in love, her name was Eliza, and she was the most beautiful woman I had ever seen." Link said, Malon scowled at how easy Link could of forgotten his promise to her, and that to him, this Eliza was even more beautiful then her.

"We wed at the age of 18, and for a year we lived the best life we could possibly have..." Link's smile suddenly faded. "But by 19, she succumbed to an unknown illness." He said, his voice barely an audible whisper. "So again I ran away from my problems, I mounted Epona and we took off. This time getting caught up in a Civil War against the Tyrant Onox in the land of Holodrum. I managed to deafeat Onox and during the war fell in love again, this time to a woman named Marabeth, we wed by the age of 22, however by the age of 24, she too succumbed to the same unknown illness Eliza had. And so once again, I mounted Epona and we took off, this time with no real destination in sight, until about four weeks ago, something started pulling me back home." Link said looking at Malon, and seeing nothing but hurt.

"What I moved on, and apparently so did you." He said not meaning to sound angry, but it came out that way.

"I moved on, because I need support, after my father died, I needed help running this ranch! And you weren't there!" Malon yelled at him. Link clenched his fists.

"I couldn't bare it here anymore, at least after I defeated Majora, the people of Termina knew what went one! Same in Holodrum, but here, everyone walked around as if nothing happened, that Ganondorf had been stopped in time, but if I hadn't of been there to see what the future would of been like, NO ONE would be alive!" Link yelled.

"So you took the coward's way out instead of talking to me, you're friend?!" Malon countered back then realized what she had said and covered her mouth.

"A coward? I fight a war across time, against a evil spirit bent of crashing the moon into the planet, and against a power hungry Tyrant, I marry twice and have my family ripped from me...and I am a coward?" Link said as he stood up.

"Link I...I didn't mean it." Malon said, suddenly wishing he would stay. The Hero said nothing, just exited the house and took to the stables, he took Epona out of her stable and mounted her.

"Link please don't go...I'm sorry...please we have a lot of catching up to do." Malon said trying to act all preppy and cheerful like she use to when Link was around.

"It's quite obvious Malon that we don't..." Link said as he spurred Epona into a trot and headed back to Kakariko Village.

-TO BE CONTINUED-

Wolfe: Jesus Christ, how many times did you say the word TIME!?  
Link: -starts counting- In the history of the War of Time, seven times, then about five more times after that.

Wolfe: I swear to god you say time one more time, I'm going to murder you.

Link: OUTRO...  
Wolfe: Don't you dare...  
Link: TIME!  
Wolfe: GOD DAMNIT!  
Link: Thank you for reading Chapter 2, unfortunately Wolfe here is moving on the first, and will not have internet for a months...TIME...  
Wolfe: I swear to the Goddesses Link  
Link: Anyway, if he can find TIME...he will write chapter 3, until that TIME...I hope you all enjoyed reading...see you next TIME -takes off running-

Wolfe: -chases after Link- GET BACK HERE!


End file.
